


Prologue: What We Used To Be

by b074



Series: Mending Old Wounds [1]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Airforce, Death, F/M, Flashbacks, Fluff, Heartbreak, Journalism, Love, Military, PTSD
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-23
Updated: 2019-02-18
Packaged: 2019-10-15 05:00:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17522408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/b074/pseuds/b074
Summary: This is the prologue to the series Mending Old Wounds. It's based off of the one shot Can't Let You Go.The prologue is a collection of flashbacks to different significant moments in Kara and Mon-El's relationship. It all leads up to the moment that plays out in the one shot Can't Let You Go.





	1. When You First Saw Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! If you're reading this you're probably coming from my one shot Can't Let You Go if so, welcome back! If not, welcome! Those coming here for the first time thank you. This prologue is separate but related to the one shot. Meaning, you don't have to read it before reading this but might want to read it eventually for the continuing story to make sense. A little bit of background. I originally wrote Can't Let You Go as a one shot but after some requests, I decided to continue it! Like I said before this is a collection of events that lead up to Can't Let You Go so, it'll be a Karamel story but for those who came for SuperFlash, no worries, there will be plenty of SuperFlash moments in the post Can't Let You Go story. That one is called Mending Old Wounds and will take place right after the ending of Can't Let You Go. I apologize for this long and semi-confusing AN but hopefully, it helped explain some things. The important thing is you'll enjoy it!
> 
> \- B

**_February 12, 2014_ **

_Kara knocked on her sister’s apartment with a pizza in one hand and pot stickers in the other._

_It’s a minute before Alex opens the door and lets Kara in._

_“What took you so long?” Alex asked as she grabbed a slice of pizza._

_“The line was super long today and when I got to the register I realized I forgot my wallet in car so I ran out to go get it but when I got back this guy that was behind me had already paid for it.”_

_Alex raised her eyebrows._

_“Did they tell you who he was?” Alex asked suspiciously._

_“No, just that it was the guy who was after me. He was gone by the time I came back.”_

_“Oh? That was nice of him I guess.”_

_“Yeah. Weren’t we going to watch a movie?” Kara moved on from the conversation._


	2. When We First Met

**_February 14, 2014_ **

_Kara grabbed a stack of paper from the printer and walked it over to her boss’s office._

_Kara lightly knocked on the glass doors._

_“Come in.” Ms. Grant said without looking up from her laptop._

_“Um, these are the article drafts you asked for Ms. Grant.” Kara walked over to the desk and handed the papers to Ms. Grant._

_“You can just set them over there.” Ms. Grant pointed to the empty space on her desk._

_“Uh, okay.” Kara gently put the papers down and started making her way out._

_“Kierra, did my mother ever call back regarding her visit this weekend? If it wasn’t bad enough that I have to see her she has to have terrible communication skills.” Ms. Grant pulled off her glasses and rested them on her head._

_“Um, no not yet Ms. Grant. Would you like me to leave another message?”_

_“No, if she doesn’t want to let me know where she’s planning on staying that’s fine by me. I don’t have time to be concerned about her whereabouts anyway.s” Ms. Grant put her glasses back on and went back to work._

_Kara took this as her cue to leave._

_She closed the door behind her and walked over to her desk._

_Kara had already finished her paperwork and there were no more meetings for the day so she didn’t know what else to do._

_After the slow painful hours went by Kara finally packed up to head home._

_“Hey, Kara,” Her best friend Winn approached her._

_“Hey Winn, what’s up?” Kara looked up from her bag._

_“James and I were gonna head over to Streakers and I was wondering if you wanted to come with us.”_

_“Sure, why not. It’s not like I have anything better to do tonight anyway.”_

_“Great! Meet you there in 15?” Winn’s face glowed up._

_“Yeah, let me just drop something off really quick and I’ll meet you guys there.” Kara swung her bag over her shoulder and walked over to her co-worker Eve’s desk._

_“Hey Eve, here are the statistics for this week’s article outputs.” Kara handed Eve a thin folder._

_“Thanks, Kara!” Eve took the folder from Kara._

_“Have a good evening.” Kara gave her a warm smile and walked away._

_Kara walked into Streakers to find her friends sitting at a small table near the bar._

_“Kara!” Winn spotted Kara and waved violently._

_“Hey, guys.” Kara walked up to the table and greeted her friends with a wide grin._

_“Hey, Kara,” James said his hello as well._

_“I’ll be right back. I’m just going to get a drink.” Kara set her bag down on a chair and walked over to the bar._

_She shook her head as she watched Winn run over to the karaoke machine._

_“What can I get for you miss?” The bartender caught Kara’s attention._

_Kara than turned around to face him._

_“I’ll take a club soda thank you.” Kara gave him her order._

_“Did you remember your wallet this time?” This caught Kara off guard._

_“Um, excuse me?” Kara responded confused._

_“The other day you forgot your wallet at the pizza place.” The bartender continued with a relaxed face._

_“Oh my god. You’re the stranger who paid for my pizza!” It finally clicked for Kara._

_“Guilty as charged.” The bartender raised his arms jokingly._

_“I never got to thank you. Thank you…”_

_“Mon-El,” The bartender filled in the blank._

_“Mon-El, that’s a unique name. I like it. I’m Kara.” Kara gave Mon-El her charming smile._

_“It was nice meeting you too. Also, here is your drink.” Mon-El placed Kara’s drink and a napkin in front of her._

_“Thank you, maybe I’ll see you around sometime,” Kara said hopefully._

_She grabbed her drink and the napkin and rejoined James at the table as he watched drunk Winn belt out the high notes._

_When she looked down she noticed a small scribble on the napkin. It was a phone number._

_When she turned around to see if Mon-El was watching he wasn't there anymore._

_She gently folded the napkin in half and tucked it into her pocket._


	3. When I First Texted You

**_February 15, 2014_ **

_“So? What’s new with you?” Alex asked as she grabbed a beer from the fridge._

_“Do you remember the stranger who paid for the pizza the other day?” Kara asked her sister._

_“Yeah, what about him?” Alex sounded confused._

_“Well, I ran into him at Streakers yesterday,” Kara explained._

_“No way! Really?” Alex became intrigued._

_“Yeah! He was the bartender there and he recognized me from the pizza place. He also gave me this.” Kara pulled out the napkin that was still in her pocket._

_“He gave you his number?” Alex raised her eyebrows._

_“I think so? He didn’t sign his name and when I checked to see if it was him he wasn’t there anymore.”_

_“That’s lowkey creepy but you should totally text that number.” Alex decided to be the fun sister this time._

_“You think so? What if it’s some weird person’s number?” Kara asked skeptically._

_“I mean for all we know he could be the weird person but so far he sounds like a decent guy to me.” Alex encouraged her sister._

_“I guess so. Why not, I’m only 24 once right?” Kara looked to her sister for one last push._

_“Yes, you’re only 24 once and this is when you should be taking your chances.” Alex nodded in return._

_Kara then grabbed her phone and sent a quick text._

**_“Hi, this Kara from the other night.”_ **


	4. When We Went On Our First Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't promise every update will be as long as this one but enjoy them while they last!  
> \- B

**_February 18, 2014_ **

_“Are you excited?” Lena asked._

_Kara had stopped by Lena’s office to spend some quality time with her best friend._

_Between Lena running LCorp and Kara running errands for Ms. Grant, they took any chance they got to spend time together._

_“I mean I guess so? The last time I went on a date the guy was a self-involved douche who couldn’t get off his phone.” Kara grimaced at the memory._

_“That’s true, but you also met him on Tinder while this guy bought you pizza which I think is already a step in the better direction,” Lena reassured her friend._

_“You’re right. I mean, if he does turn out to be some insane murderer or something my sister does work for the FBI and my best friend is one of the most influential person so I think I’ll be in good hands.” Lena smiled at Kara’s compliment._

_“Well I’m flattered and you’re not wrong. If this guy does turn out to be crazy I’ll make sure he gets what’s coming.” Lena gave Kara a serious but an assuring look._

_“Thank you.” Kara smiled._

_Later that day Kara was rummaging through her clothes trying to figure out what to wear._

_“Black or white?” Kara lifted the two dresses up to her phone._

_“Neither, they’re both too serious for a first date. Go for the blue top with black pants. It’ll bring out your eyes.” Alex responded through the phone._

_“Yeah, you don’t want to come off too strong on the first date.” Maggie’s voice came from the distance._

_Kara had her phone propped up on her dresser with her sister and her girlfriend on FaceTime._

_“Okay.” Kara walked over to her closet to grab her blue shirt._

_“Hair up or down?” Kara walked back over to the phone with her hand in her hair._

_“Half up half down,” Alex advised._

_Maggie walked back into the shot as she joined Alex on the couch._

_Kara nodded in return._

_“Okay, I better go get changed now. He’s supposed to be here in 45 minutes and I’m not even dressed yet.” Kara was slightly panicked._

_“You go do that. We’re going to watch the newest episode of NCIS.” Alex wrapped her arm around Maggie’s body_

_“Hahaha, have fun. I’ll talk to you guys later.” Kara hung up the phone._

_After Kara rushed to get ready she heard a knock on the door._

_Kara opened the door to find Mon-El standing on the other side with a big smile on his face._

_“Hi!” Mon-El waved._

_Kara couldn’t help but laugh at his dorky demeanor._

_“Hi!” Kara said in return with a smile on her face._

_“You look ravishing by the way.” Mon-El complimented Kara._

_The choice of word earned another laugh from Kara._

_Kara was liking Mon-El more by the second._

_The two finally made their way to Mon-El’s car and found themselves on a road Kara didn’t recognize._

_“You’re not taking me someplace secluded to murder me, are you?” Kara asked a bit skeptical._

_“Maybe?” Mon-El looked at Kara with a half smirk._

_Kara’s face turned to panic thinking he could serious._

_Mon-El noticed Kara’s change in posture._

_“I’m kidding I’m kidding relax. I’m sorry I didn’t mean to freak you out.” Mon-El let out a small laugh and gently placed his hand on Kara’s knee to reassure her._

_“Okay good because if you do my sister is an FBI agent and her girlfriend his a cop so they’ll hunt your ass down in a matter of minutes,” Kara warned Mon-El._

_“Noted.” Mon-El solemnly nodded his head._

_After pulling onto a dirt road they finally parked in an open area._

_“We’re here?” Kara asked in a disappointed voice._

_“Okay now, don’t sound so disappointed quite yet. We still have to walk a bit before we arrive.” Mon-El tried to build Kara’s anticipation._

_Mon-El quickly got out of the car and ran over to Kara’s side to open the door for her._

_The two walked away from the car and into a line of trees._

_Still having no idea of where they could possibly be going Kara just quietly followed Mon-El._

_“Okay, I’m starting to think if it isn’t me you’re going to murder you must have murdered someone.” Kara joked._

_“Funny, but no, nothing illegal happened here and nothing illegal will. Just follow me we’re just about there.” Mon-El shook his head as he started to clear branches in front of him._

_Mon-El stopped in his track and turned to face Kara._

_“Cover your eyes.”_

_“What?” Kara was taken by surprise._

_“Just trust me I promise.” Mon-El’s eyes softened._

_Kara let out a sigh and brought her hands to her face._

_Kara then felt a warm gentle hand on her elbow which was guiding her forward._

_After they took a few steps forward Mon-El stopped them._

_“Okay, you can open them now.” Mon-El dropped his hand from Kara’s arm._

_Kara opened her eyes to find the edge of a small hill with a blanket laid on the ground with a basket next to it._

_The sun was starting to set and the view was amazing._

_“Did you do all of this?” Kara turned towards Mon-El shocked._

_Mon-El slowly nodded his head._

_“I remember you mentioned that watching the stars with your sister was your favorite thing to do as a kid so I thought I’d recreate that for you. I did some research and turns out this is the closest we can get to the stars where it was driving distance and it has a killer view.” Mon-El ran his hand along the view._

_“You remembered?” Kara felt a warmth in her heart._

_“Yeah, of course I did. I mean I’m trying to impress a girl, the least I could do is remember what her favorite activity is.” Mon-El tried to play it off cool._

_“I’m flattered Mon-El this is amazing.” Kara walked over and pulled Mon-El into a hug._

_The two spent the next few hours eating a picnic dinner and sharing old stories about their past._

_“There was this one time when I was stationed in Iraq,” Mon-El started telling a story._

_“Wait, did you serve?” Kara asked curiously._

_“Yes, actually I’m still serving. I’m currently home for a bit until they need me again.” Mon-El explained._

_“Oh wow, so what do you do?”_

_“I’m an air force pilot. I pilot the aircraft during patrolling hours and if there’s ever an emergency I fly the aircraft then too.”_

_“That’s impressive.” Kara was in awe._

_“Is your stay indefinite then?” Kara asked with a bit of hesitant._

_“Sadly, yes. I’m a “go when they need me” guy so I can never know how long I’m home for. But, we’re here now and I want to focus on today not what’s happening tomorrow.” Mon-El tried to brighten the mood._

_“You’re right. Focus on the today.” Kara nodded in return._

_After the sun had fully set Kara and Mon-El laid down on the blanket to stargaze._

_Throughout the night Kara had slowly made her way into Mon-El’s embrace and she fit like a glove._

_It was getting close to midnight and Mon-El noticed Kara starting to doze off a bit._

_“I see that it’s someone’s bedtime.” Mon-El gently joked._

_“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to fall asleep like this but you were so warm and the stars were so beautiful I just couldn’t help myself,” Kara answered shyly._

_“No, it’s okay. It’s getting late anyway. I should get you home.” Mon-El slowly stood up._

_Kara just nodded in return._

_After Mon-El packed everything up the two stopped and looked up one last time to look at the stars._

_Kara turned her head to find Mon-El no longer staring at the stars but her instead._

_“What?” Kara asked with a smile growing on her face._

_“I just really want to kiss you.” Mon-El replied in a whisper._

_Kara then slowly walked up to Mon-El and pulled his face in._

_The two stood there in the moonlight as their hands landed on each other’s faces and lips connected._


	5. When You Had To Leave For Iraq

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I'm back with a new update! This one is a lot shorter but an update is better than nothing right? Enjoy!  
> \- B

**_March 28, 2014_ **

_Kara had spent the night at Mon-El’s apartment and was now waking up in his bed._

_Kara rolled over on her side to find the bed empty. She furrowed her brows in confusion._

_She walked out into the living to hear Mon-El get off what sounded like a serious phone call._

_“Is everything okay?” Kara asked concerned as she wrapped herself in her robe._

_“Yeah yeah, it’s just ummm, that was my commanding officer,” Mon-El said slowly._

_“Oh.” Kara’s heart dropped because she knew what that meant._

_“When do you leave?” Kara finally asked dreadfully._

_“Tomorrow.”_

_“Kara, I’m sorry,” Mon-El started._

_“No, it’s okay. You warned me on our first date and I knew what I was getting into.” Kara tried to sound strong._

_“I wish I didn’t have to go,” Mon-El whispered._

_Mon-El slowly made his way over to Kara and pulled her into a tight embrace._

_“Me too,” Kara said into Mon-El’s chest._

_The two stayed like for a few minutes until Mon-El pulled back._

_“We still have the next 24 hours together. Let’s make the best of it.” Mon-El tried to stay positive._

_“You’re right. We can’t waste the time we do have.”_

_They ended up spending the whole day at home just snuggled up next to each other enjoying each other’s company._

**The next day**

_“Do you have everything?” Kara looked up at Mon-El standing by his closet doorframe._

_“Yup.” Mon-El lifted the military bag in his one hand and passport in his other._

_“Let’s go then.” Kara stood up from the bed and grabbed her keys from the dresser and walked out of the room._

_The drive to the airport was a quiet one. Both Kara and Mon-El dreaded the arrival to the airport and didn’t know how to fill the silence._

_“Okay, this your stop.” Kara pulled into the drop-off line._

_“This is my stop.” Mon-El let out a big sigh._

_They both got out of the car and Kara grabbed Mon-El’s bag from the trunk._

_“Wouldn’t want to forget this,” Kara handed the bag to Mon-El._

_“Thank you.” Mon-El grabbed the bag from Kara and put it on the ground._

_He then pulled her into a hug._

_“I’m going to miss you so much.” Kara attempted to hold in a sob._

_“I know. I’m going to miss you too.” A tear rolled down Mon-El’s face._

_“Promise me one thing?” Kara looked up from Mon-El’s chest._

_“Anything.” Mon-El looked down._

_“Please don’t forget me,” Kara said desperately._

_“I would never. Kara Danvers, you are the reason why I want to wake up every morning and that won’t change even when I’m halfway across the world.”_

_Kara leaned up and pulled Mon-El’s face into a kiss._

_At this point, tears were streaming down her face._

_Mon-El let his lips linger a bit on Kara’s before he pulled back to face Kara._

_“I have to go now.” Mon-El wiped the tears off of Kara’s face._

_Kara just stood there and nodded._

_Mon-El slowly started to walk away, his hand slipping out of Kara’s._

_Kara watched as Mon-El disappeared behind the glass doors before she finally got herself to get back in the car._

_The car ride back home felt wrong. She was alone and it was silence unlike earlier._

 


End file.
